Серце темряви
Chapter 3
Youwithyourlittlepeddlingnotions—youareinterferingwithme.Iwillreturn.I...’
"Themanagercameout.Hedidmethehonourtotakemeunderthearmandleadmeaside.‘Heisverylow,verylow,’hesaid.Heconsidereditnecessarytosigh,butneglectedtobeconsistentlysorrowful.‘Wehavedoneallwecouldforhim—haven’twe?Butthereisnodisguisingthefact,Mr.KurtzhasdonemoreharmthangoodtotheCompany.Hedidnotseethetimewasnotripeforvigorousaction.Cautiously,cautiously—that’smyprinciple.Wemustbecautiousyet.Thedistrictisclosedtousforatime.Deplorable!Uponthewhole,thetradewillsuffer.Idon’tdenythereisaremarkablequantityofivory—mostlyfossil.Wemustsaveit,atallevents—butlookhowprecariousthepositionis—andwhy?Becausethemethodisunsound.’‘Doyou,’saidI,lookingattheshore,‘callit"unsoundmethod?"’‘Withoutdoubt,’heexclaimedhotly.‘Don’tyou?’...‘Nomethodatall,’Imurmuredafterawhile.‘Exactly,’heexulted.‘Ianticipatedthis.Showsacompletewantofjudgment.Itismydutytopointitoutintheproperquarter.’‘Oh,’saidI,‘thatfellow—what’shisname?—thebrickmaker,willmakeareadablereportforyou.’Heappearedconfoundedforamoment.ItseemedtomeIhadneverbreathedanatmospheresovile,andIturnedmentallytoKurtzforrelief—positivelyforrelief.‘NeverthelessIthinkMr.Kurtzisaremarkableman,’Isaidwithemphasis.
